Arms and the man: Devon Larratt is set to take on the world of pro arm wrestling

The towering guy with the popping biceps and nary an ounce of fat straps his hand to his opponent’s, and proceeds to hold court.

“If you can’t stand the pain and the wear and tear, you’re in the wrong sport my friend,” he says. And with that, the grinding begins and the blood pressure erupts.

It is a cold December night — the heater’s shut off in this makeshift gym, situated in a family garage in Richmond, just south of Ottawa.

Huddled over several tables are six men locked in a form of combat most of us fondly recall being a whimsical pastime of our childhood: Arm wrestling. Seeing the intensity and hearing the grunting and shouting, this is hardly kid’s play.

Standing at the centre and running the show is Devon Larratt, a 6-5, 225-pound veteran of the Canadian Special Forces who runs these training sessions a couple of times a week.

It’s a pretty modest introduction to a fellow who served for 18 years, including tours in Afghanistan. During one tour, Larratt was shot during conflict. He says he’d gladly perform for his country again.

“I am absolutely honoured to be a part of our military,” Larratt, a master corporal, offers, but, “I don’t want people to think my military experience was about getting wounded, because it wasn’t. It’s about family and protecting Canadian values. That’s what military service is all about.

“It was a huge part of my life. I consider the military to be my extended family. I really believe in the things we got to do over there. I’m thrilled and blessed and lucky that I made it through all those experiences and came back in one piece.

“We did all sorts of different jobs. My time in Afghanistan was very multi-coloured. That chapter in my life is now definitely on hold. I am just trying to clear my mind and focus on what I have in front of me.”

What he potentially has in front of him is a huge role in what he believes to be a sport on the verge of a breakout.

In January, Larratt heads to New Orleans for the inaugural World Armwrestling League (WAL) championship. That event offers $150,000 U.S. in prize money across a variety of weight classes. Perhaps of more significance is the event kicks off a seven-event deal with ESPN, with ESPN2 broadcasting the tournament in prime time.

This is imaginably the start of something big but Larratt isn’t simply attending for the experience of competing, an enjoyable jaunt down Bourbon Street and an evening with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

He wants to win.

“Everybody knows Devon. He’s a legend in this community,” says Steve Kaplan, president and originator of WAL.

Kaplan’s also a major business player in the United States; he’s a best-selling author, Tony Award-winning producer and appeared as a lead on ABC’s Secret Millionaire.

Coincidentally, Kaplan’s idea for the project sparked from a related military experience.

“I was asked by the military to go to Afghanistan and talk to the (U.S.) troops about jobs and starting businesses once they got back home. We flew around and visited several bases and everywhere we went we saw arm-wrestling there. Here are these guys in 120-degree (F) weather wearing full Kevlar arm wrestling. Kind of crazy. So I came home and there’s this show on AMC called Game of Arms that my partners are involved in and the idea to start a league came up.”

He started WAL about nine months ago with a contest in Ohio. After landing the deal with ESPN, he’s betting on branding his sport into the mainstream psyche. Kaplan sees no better selling point than the Canadian who has been taking down his competition for the last couple of decades.

“He’s obviously one of the best arm wrestlers on the planet and easily one of the most solid individuals on the planet,” Kaplan says about his 39-year-old star. “He’s a marquee guy for us, known for his character and his ability.”

“He’s a master technician and people don’t realize how technical this sport is. There are three components to being a great arm wrestler: You need speed, power and technique. He has it all. He can win different ways. He can make a bull-rush on you. If he’s facing a big 400-pound dude, he can take the hit and then wear the guy down. He can win so many different ways, and that’s what makes him so lethal. He’s not one-dimensional.”

Watching the technique displayed in the Richmond garage, you quickly understand this isn’t your high school arm wrestling.

“Arm wrestling is all about locking your muscles and moving your body, and just hoping your muscles are strong enough to hold on,” Larratt says. “It’s extremely demanding on the tendons and joints. You are going to need to find ways to heal and to manage all these (tendon) problems that are going to come up.”

So, back then to his original point — can’t stand the heat, stay out of the hitchin’.

“People will blow their biceps off the bone, people will blow pecs, people break arms.”

Married with three kids, Larratt is fortunate enough to have support on the home front for his career.

Doesn’t hurt that his wife is rabid about the sport herself. Halfway through the practice session, Jodi Larratt swung open the garage door and settled in on one of the tables … opposite her husband.

“That’s it. Now move your thumb higher,” Devon coaches.

She will also compete in New Orleans.

The next year promises to test the wear and tear and mettle of the Larratts. Devon vows to compete at each of the WAL events. That’s 100 competitions in 100 different cities.

The year-end championship is estimated to dole out more than $500,000 in prize money.

Devon’s counting on his experience overseas, where arm wrestling was a common occurrence on U.S. and Canadian bases, to provide the required experience and impetus.

“I definitely did my fair share of arm wrestling overseas. I had the chance to get in the shape of my life in the Forces. If I wasn’t on a mission, I was pumping iron. Steadily. Being with the Forces let me get into a shape that is really, really difficult for most people.

“It’s a warrior community and arm wrestling fits right into that world. You square off with your buddy and you figure out who The Man is,” he said with a laugh.

This next year is going to do things we’ve never seen in arm wrestling,” Larratt continues.

“The ESPN deal … does that make it mainstream, I don’t know. I hope so.”

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